Issue 199

August 2023

UK MMA is undoubtedly at its highest point since the inception of the sport, with a cohort of talent sitting at the sharp end of nearly every major organization. While UK fans enjoying seeing their fellow countrymen performing on the big stage, they are always looking out for the next big star. And, in the form of Lewis McGrillen, the PFL may have unearthed one, writes Jake Smith. 

The Manchester Top Team prospect spent the last two years building his name on the domestic scene before he received his first call-up to a major stage with a fight on the PFL's inaugural European show, PFL Europe 1, in Newcastle Upon-Tyne. 

In a stunning display, McGrillen dispatched opponent Salih Kulucan in emphatic style. Following the victory, chants of “Oh, Lewis McGrillen!” rang around the Vertu Motors Arena in what was unquestionably the biggest crowd pop of the night. As the 8-0 prospect explained, the whole experience encapsulated everything he had dreamt of, and he's now gaining recognition from other sporting greats, too.

“It was crazy, but at the same time it was somewhat familiar, I knew I have a crazy fanbase around England,” he said.

“The way they were singing my name and stuff like that, it was just crazy, it was a bit of a dream of mine. I know for a fact if they ever brought a show to Manchester, I'd sell it out, the whole arena.

“I was walking through Piccadilly Gardens today and Anthony Crolla (Manchester’s former WBA lightweight champion boxer), spotted me and came up to me and started chatting to me. I was like, ‘I know who you are!’ He was selling out arenas. I'm just another guy who is an up-and-coming young kid that they've not seen before from an MMA standpoint!”

Following his victory, McGrillen joined Brendan Loughnane, Simeon Powell, and Dakota Ditcheva on the PFL roster by signing a multi-fight deal with the promotion. It’s a move that he thinks will grant him the opportunity to grow his game across multiple facets.

“I think the PFL is such a brilliant platform. It’s a big thing for me to grow as an athlete and as a person, a fighter. I feel like it's such a big thing for me – I'm glad with what the PFL has to offer me.” 

McGrillen's second PFL Europe appearance saw him score another highlight-reel finish as he knocked out Amrali Saydoshurov in the second round after a wild back-and-forth battle in the opening five minutes. The fight card also featured the bantamweight regular season contenders, but it was McGrillen's performance that stood out the most after another spectacular "McGrizzler" performance.

Both of the 22-year-old's PFL bouts have been at bantamweight, with McGrillen having previously campaigned at flyweight. While a final decision on weight class is yet to be made, he is keeping a firm eye on the bantamweight tournament. 

“The thing with the bantamweight tournament, I am originally a flyweight and in my last fight I've been moving up to bantamweight. I think I'm growing, I don't know if my body is fully a bantamweight yet, but I am fairly big and I go with bantamweights day-in, day-out, like great bantamweights. Oktagon champion (Jonas Magard), European champion bantamweight and I'm handling myself well against them guys.

“I look at these guys and they haven't got that one shot dynamite shot like I've got. Some of them haven't got the grit I've got. I think the only thing that these guys might have over me is they're older than me and that's the only thing I see from them.” 

And, if an athlete is forced to withdraw from the bantamweight tournament, McGrillen said he’d be more than ready to take their place.

“Who doesn't want $100,000 in the bank, at the end of the day? I look at these guys, I stalk these guys, I know what they ate for breakfast this morning, who they are, I know everything about them. I feel like I'm ready for whoever jumps in. If I ever get offered the opportunity, I'm stepping in, no matter what.” 

From the humble beginnings of grappling with his friends at school after playing an MMA video game, McGrillen now trains out of one of the best gyms in the country, Manchester Top Team, under the tutelage of head coach Carl Prince. 

Alongside the abundance of young prospects at the gym, MTT also plays home to the likes of Bellator lightweight Kane Mousah and UFC featherweight Lerone Murphy. As McGrillen explained, being surrounded by that level of experience and work ethic is invaluable.

“It's massive to have the likes of Kane and Lerone from major organizations, and I was just the young pup and the baby of the gym,” he said.

“I’ve always been training around them – even before they got to major organizations, I've been around them. When it got to that point, training with them, it all came together for me because if I'm surrounded by five hard-working guys, I'm going to be the sixth hard-working guy. If I was surrounded by five bums I would have been the sixth bum. I was always around gritty people, hard-working people, so it's just played a factor for me. Plus, their discipline always played a factor.” 

Although being touted as one of the next big things to emerge from the UK, McGrillen's feet are firmly grounded and he understands the importance of not overlooking his development. 

“I think it is very important for me, especially at 22 years old. I see a lot of guys who have rushed their careers, and in a way it's sad. It's about pacing yourself and finding the right fights," he said.

"You see a lot of boxers do this. I go with top talent in the gym, top hard-working guys, champions from other organizations, and I handle myself fairly right as it comes. It is all about my career coming together at the right time.”